'Pokémon Go' Gen 2 Release Date: Leaked moves list and the Gen 1 'Mons that can learn them

The new combat moves hidden in Pokémon Go are almost certainly there to prepare for the Gen 2 Pokemon, but old Gen 1 creatures may also benefit from the update.

The recent data mine of the Pokémon Go 0.53.1 APK revealed 38 new combat moves drawn from Pokémon Gold and Silver, the second generation of the main games. The new moves are generally accepted as part of the highly anticipated Gen 2 update that should brings tons of new creatures to Pokémon Go. 

However, there are also Gen 1 Pokémon that can learn these moves in the main games, and those same Gen 1 Pokémon may start to learn new moves in Pokémon Go as well.

Pokémon Go Gen 2 Release Date: Original lineup gets a new arsenal

In the main games, Pokémon move sets are not static. Pokémon can learn new moves over the course of the game. In Pokémon Go, on the other hand, you don't have any control over the moves your Pokémon knows.

So in order for Gen 1 Pokémon to have access to Gen 2 Pokemon moves in Pokémon Go, Niantic will have to change the algorithm that decides what move set a Pokémon spawns with. The benefit of this will be increased variety among the Pokémon species that may use Gen 2 moves. 

There's a downside to this change, though. More variation means the odds of catching a Pokémon with the "perfect" move set is reduced as more potential move sets are added into the mix. 

Pokémon Go Gen 2 Release Date: New moves for Gen 1 Pokémon?

Nicholas Oyzon, who goes by shinewend on The Silph Road — also known as Nick from the YouTube series Trainer Tips — posted a Google doc of all the Gen 1 Pokémon that can use some of these 38 new moves in the main games.

There are over six dozen Gen 1 Pokémon on the list, including Dragonite, Snorlax, Vaporeon, Gyarados and Rhydon. If the addition of Gen 2 combat moves is going to affect the current balance of Pokémon Go's endgame, watching the fortunes of these five powerful Pokémon will be a good indicator. 

Jan. 24 2017, 1:18 p.m.: This story has been updated.

More Pokémon Go guides, tips, tricks and updates

Check out Mic's Pokémon Go tips and tricks. Here are guides on how to get stardust, how to determine how long it will take you to reach Level 40, the kind of Pokemon you get from 10km eggs, how to create new PokéStops, how to maximize your chances of catching Pokémon and how PokéStops distribute Pokémon eggs. Also check out how to catch Gen 2 baby Pokémon, our analysis of post-balance update Chansey and Rhydon and everything you need to know about finding the long-awaited Pokémon Ditto.